Château Laballe Bas Armagnac 1998

Great, aged Armagnac can convey a deep sense of place in a manner that is rare in the spirits world, and Laballe’s fabulous examples are loaded with personality, fine textures and flavours that echo across the palate. Distilled in the domaine’s 1923 wood-fired copper still, these Armagnacs then age in Chêne Noir Gascon—410-litre barrels made of oak from the nearby Landes forest—until they are bottled for sale. The extended maturation within this thick-grained oak imparts plenty of tannin and spice, giving Laballe’s vintage Armagnac its distinctive style., There is no addition of colour, and all the spirits are bottled brut de fût—unfiltered and at their natural alcohol level—often from a single barrel.

100% Ugni Blanc. This vintage has a bright and beautiful, old gold colour. A seductive nose throws forth candied orange, citrus, praline and menthol, and the coconut milk note that is so typical of this estate. In the mouth, it’s fresh, long and firmly structured around a beautiful mineral core. This is one of the Laudet family’s favourite ‘younger’ vintages for its perfect balance and aromatic class.